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1/11/2012
1/10/2012
Asus Transformer Prime gets HD upgrade
Asus is adding a HD display to its convertible Android tablet, the Eee Pad Transformer Prime.
The Transformer Prime, which goes on sale in the UK this week, currently has a 1,280 x 800 screen to go with its detachable keyboard dock. That will be upgraded to a 1,920 x 1,2000 display later this year.
An Asus spokesman at the Consumer Electronics Show told PC Pro that customers were increasingly plugging the tablet into external Full HD screens, prompting Asus to upgrade the device screen itself.
The HD version of the Transformer Prime will also get a 3G option when it goes on sale later this year, for "less than £599", according to the Asus spokesman.
Padfone
Asus is also preparing to launch its Padfone device at this year's Mobile World Congress at the end of February. The Padfone is a 4.3in Android tablet that docks into an accompanying 10.1 tablet display.
The tablet is essentially a dumb terminal that relies on the docked smartphone for processing, storage and wireless data.
The Padfone is designed to allow consumers to resort to the larger display for tasks such as watching video or web browsing, without the expense of purchasing a dedicated tablet. Asus has yet to announce a price for the Padfone, but said it will launch this year.
However, the $249 7in Android tablet announced in yesterday's Nvidia press conference won't be coming to the UK, Asus's spokesman confirmed.
Laptop refresh
Asus is one of the few PC manufacturers not using CES as an opportunity to refresh its Ultrabook range, bar a new "Rose Gold" colour refresh for the 13.3in Zenbook.
However, the company has a batch of refreshed laptops and netbooks on the way. The N6 laptop will benefit from Intel's new Core i7 and i5 Ivy Bridge processors in April/May. The 15in laptop comes with a smart piano-black lid, integrated Bang & Olufsen speakers and a Full HD display, and will start from £799 inc VAT.
The gaming-oriented G Series will also benefit from the Ivy Bridge refresh, and will come with both stereoscopic and "naked eye" 3D screen options - effectively allowing gamers to have 3D with or without the glasses. That premium range starts at £1,999 inc VAT.
Asus is also persisting with netbooks, with three new models spanning sizes from 10in to 12in. The Asus spokesman admitted that netbook sales are in decline, but claimed the company had increased its market share in the UK, as other manufacturers leave the market or fail to refresh their ranges.
The Transformer Prime, which goes on sale in the UK this week, currently has a 1,280 x 800 screen to go with its detachable keyboard dock. That will be upgraded to a 1,920 x 1,2000 display later this year.
An Asus spokesman at the Consumer Electronics Show told PC Pro that customers were increasingly plugging the tablet into external Full HD screens, prompting Asus to upgrade the device screen itself.
The HD version of the Transformer Prime will also get a 3G option when it goes on sale later this year, for "less than £599", according to the Asus spokesman.
Padfone
Asus is also preparing to launch its Padfone device at this year's Mobile World Congress at the end of February. The Padfone is a 4.3in Android tablet that docks into an accompanying 10.1 tablet display.
The tablet is essentially a dumb terminal that relies on the docked smartphone for processing, storage and wireless data.
The Padfone is designed to allow consumers to resort to the larger display for tasks such as watching video or web browsing, without the expense of purchasing a dedicated tablet. Asus has yet to announce a price for the Padfone, but said it will launch this year.
However, the $249 7in Android tablet announced in yesterday's Nvidia press conference won't be coming to the UK, Asus's spokesman confirmed.
Laptop refresh
Asus is one of the few PC manufacturers not using CES as an opportunity to refresh its Ultrabook range, bar a new "Rose Gold" colour refresh for the 13.3in Zenbook.
However, the company has a batch of refreshed laptops and netbooks on the way. The N6 laptop will benefit from Intel's new Core i7 and i5 Ivy Bridge processors in April/May. The 15in laptop comes with a smart piano-black lid, integrated Bang & Olufsen speakers and a Full HD display, and will start from £799 inc VAT.
The gaming-oriented G Series will also benefit from the Ivy Bridge refresh, and will come with both stereoscopic and "naked eye" 3D screen options - effectively allowing gamers to have 3D with or without the glasses. That premium range starts at £1,999 inc VAT.
Asus is also persisting with netbooks, with three new models spanning sizes from 10in to 12in. The Asus spokesman admitted that netbook sales are in decline, but claimed the company had increased its market share in the UK, as other manufacturers leave the market or fail to refresh their ranges.
1/09/2012
Netflix UK launch marred by Facebook backlash
The service went live today - although many users have reported via Twitter that the service was unavailable this morning - offering unlimited access to its catalogue of films and TV programmes for £5.99 a month.
Despite promises of a one-month free trial, a tie-in with Facebook has left users unhappy, and worried that their viewing habits will be posted via the social network.
Users with an open Facebook account on their computer have complained that, by default, Netflix wanted to share what people are watching.
" Netflix free trial with Facebook, automatically shares 'everything you have watched, and other Netflix activity' "“'See what Facebook friends are watching and Netflix will share what you watch and more',” posted author and web designer Andy Clarke via Twitter. "I don’t think so!"
The sentiment was echoed by many users amid confusion over whether using Facebook as a sign-up tool was a requirement in order to receive the month's free trial.
"Netflix free trial with Facebook automatically shares 'everything you have watched, and other Netflix activity' unless you unshare," reported Daithà Mac SÃthigh, a lecturer at the University of East Anglia Law School.
Other Twitter users claimed that signing up for the service while logged out of Facebook and using private browsing settings enabled registration without linking to a Facebook account.
Netflix has since clarified that Facebook is not required, but still faced criticism for not making the email sign-up options clearer.
Chinese writers hit Apple for copyright compensation
The China Written Works Copyright Society claims Apple infringed copyright on 37 works by nine of its members, and is seeking £1.2 million in compensation.
According to a report in Chinese business publication Caixin, the legal action relates to books sold through iTunes without the authors' permission.
The group includes popular bloggers and writers, and claims some of the titles have been downloaded a million times without permission after being put in Apple's store by third-party developers.
"Apple pockets 30% of all profits stemming from the sale of digital books, both legal and illegal, in its online store," society spokesman Bei Zhicheng said, according to Caixin. "Most consumers are unaware that the books they are purchasing from the Apple Store are pirated."
Apple has yet to respond to a request for comment.
Full HD tablets emerge at CES
Acer has teased the CES crowds with an early glimpse of a tablet with a Full HD display.
The next-generation 10in Iconia Tab has a 1,920 x 1,080 display. It's the highest resolution so far for a tablet of that size, although that's likely to be equalled in the coming days here at the Las Vegas showcase.
The Iconia is powered by an unspecified quad-core processor, which is likely to be based on Nvidia's Tegra 3 platform.
Acer briefly flashed the new tablet at the end of its CES press conference, but gave no indication of specs, price or release date.
Lenovo tablets
While not quite matching Acer's Full HD display, Lenovo had a series of new tablets on display at the show curtain-raiser, CES Unveiled.
It was showing off Android tablets in three different sizes - 5in, 7in and 10in - although some of the models are restricted to China, Lenovo's domestic market.
The 10in IdeaTab S2 is similar to the Asus Transformer range, coming with a detachable keyboard that allows the S2 to operate as a standalone slate or pseudo laptop.
The S2 is powered by a dual-core Qualcomm CPU running at 1.5GHz, with up to 64GB of internal storage and 1GB of RAM. It runs on the latest Android 4 operating system, although comes pre-loaded with Lenovo's own "Mandarin" interface - a tile-based UI that's not entirely dissimilar to Windows 8 Metro.
Battery life is quoted at in excess of 20 hours when paired with the keyboard dock.
Lenovo is yet to release a price or release date for the S2.
The next-generation 10in Iconia Tab has a 1,920 x 1,080 display. It's the highest resolution so far for a tablet of that size, although that's likely to be equalled in the coming days here at the Las Vegas showcase.
The Iconia is powered by an unspecified quad-core processor, which is likely to be based on Nvidia's Tegra 3 platform.
Acer briefly flashed the new tablet at the end of its CES press conference, but gave no indication of specs, price or release date.
Lenovo tablets
While not quite matching Acer's Full HD display, Lenovo had a series of new tablets on display at the show curtain-raiser, CES Unveiled.
It was showing off Android tablets in three different sizes - 5in, 7in and 10in - although some of the models are restricted to China, Lenovo's domestic market.
The 10in IdeaTab S2 is similar to the Asus Transformer range, coming with a detachable keyboard that allows the S2 to operate as a standalone slate or pseudo laptop.
The S2 is powered by a dual-core Qualcomm CPU running at 1.5GHz, with up to 64GB of internal storage and 1GB of RAM. It runs on the latest Android 4 operating system, although comes pre-loaded with Lenovo's own "Mandarin" interface - a tile-based UI that's not entirely dissimilar to Windows 8 Metro.
Battery life is quoted at in excess of 20 hours when paired with the keyboard dock.
Lenovo is yet to release a price or release date for the S2.
Solar case boosts Kindle battery life
Amazon claims a month of battery life for its Kindle, but if that's
not long enough, one company has created a solar-charging case for the
ebook reader.
The SolarFocus SolarKindle cover features a photo-voltaic panel on the front, which charges an extra battery on the back of the device, which can be used to either recharge the Kindle or power the pop-up reading light.
The extra battery pack will triple the reading time of the Kindle to three months and power the LED lamp for 50 hours, the company said.
Leaving the cover charging for an hour in the sun will provide up to three days of reading time, executive vice president Dick Lu told PC Pro at CES.
SolarFocus already offers solar-powered charging cases for mobile phones and other devices, but the Kindle cover is the first designed to integrate with a specific device, Lu added, saying it makes sense for ebook readers as "you need a cover to protect the screen anyway".
The extra battery in the cover means the case is thicker than most, but it weighs 250g, only 25g more than Amazon's own Kindle cover with an integrated light. The spare battery can also be charged via USB.
The SolarKindle is available for the Kindle for $79, and versions are in the works for the Kindle Touch and rival ebook reader Nook.
However, the company doesn't see integrated covers for smartphones such as the iPhone working as well, as the smaller size means they need to be left charging in the sun for long periods. "We don't want to make something that won't perform well," said SolarFocus' sales director Allan Shoji.
He said other companies have tried to create integrated solar charging cases for smartphones, but faced troubles with devices overheating after being left in the sun for too long.
He said the design of the Kindle case - with the solar panel on the cover, separate from the battery and the device - means overheating isn't a problem.
The SolarFocus SolarKindle cover features a photo-voltaic panel on the front, which charges an extra battery on the back of the device, which can be used to either recharge the Kindle or power the pop-up reading light.
The extra battery pack will triple the reading time of the Kindle to three months and power the LED lamp for 50 hours, the company said.
Leaving the cover charging for an hour in the sun will provide up to three days of reading time, executive vice president Dick Lu told PC Pro at CES.
SolarFocus already offers solar-powered charging cases for mobile phones and other devices, but the Kindle cover is the first designed to integrate with a specific device, Lu added, saying it makes sense for ebook readers as "you need a cover to protect the screen anyway".
The extra battery in the cover means the case is thicker than most, but it weighs 250g, only 25g more than Amazon's own Kindle cover with an integrated light. The spare battery can also be charged via USB.
The SolarKindle is available for the Kindle for $79, and versions are in the works for the Kindle Touch and rival ebook reader Nook.
However, the company doesn't see integrated covers for smartphones such as the iPhone working as well, as the smaller size means they need to be left charging in the sun for long periods. "We don't want to make something that won't perform well," said SolarFocus' sales director Allan Shoji.
He said other companies have tried to create integrated solar charging cases for smartphones, but faced troubles with devices overheating after being left in the sun for too long.
He said the design of the Kindle case - with the solar panel on the cover, separate from the battery and the device - means overheating isn't a problem.
1/08/2012
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